Although the elephant is recognized as the largest land animal, the animal that comprises the largest mass in the animal kingdom is the termite. Despite the small size of individual kalotermes and reticulitermes, they are so numerous throughout the world that their total mass far exceeds any other animal. Termites exist by eating wood and other cellulose-containing materials. They are social insects that live in organized colonies located within dark, closed, humid spaces. Termites tend to remain within one area until population growth and success of the colony requires migration to areas with additional food supply.
Due to their large numbers and their habit of consuming structural wood, termites are responsible for enormous damage to buildings. Often the damage to individual buildings is not noticed until it is visible at exterior or interior surfaces, and by the time damage is visible it has usually progressed to the point of structural degradation. Generally speaking, structural pest control reports carried out upon transfer of property title are the only regular means of detecting termite damage and correcting it. The cost of this effort amounts to billions of dollars annually in the United States alone.
Localized infestations of termites can be controlled by drilling into the affected wood and blowing poison dust into the holes. This method scatters poison in the air and leaves poison residue in the wood, and may result in long-term toxic effects to the occupants of the building. A preferable method developed recently involves placing a large, gas-tight tent over the building, and filling the building with a powerful reducing gas, such as methyl bromide, that kills all living things within the building. The drawback of this method is that it provides no long-term prevention of re-infestation.
The termite is unique in its ability to digest cellulose, due to the presence of flagellate protozoa in the gut of the termite that break down cellulose into digestible substances. Without the flagellae, termites cannot survive.
There is no practical method or apparatus in the prior art for preventing termite infestation. Efforts have focused on devices for blowing poison dust or gas into wall spaces or into blown-in insulation, but this technique puts the building occupants at risk for poison ingestion from long-term exposure.